General Information and Technical Data
Ed. 06/2006
5
SAFETY INFORMATION FOR USERS OF LP–GAS
Propane (LP–Gas) is a flammable gas which can
cause fires and explosions. In its natural state,
propane is odorless and colorless. You may not know
all the following safety precautions which can protect
both you and your family from an accident. Read them
carefully now, then review them point by point with
the members of your household. Someday when there
may not be a minute to lose, everyone’s safety will
depend on knowing exactly what to do. If, after
reading the following information, you feel you still
need more information, please contact your gas
supplier.
LP–GAS WARNING ODOR
If a gas leak happens, you should be able to smell the gas because of the odorant put in the LP–Gas.
That’s your signal to go into immediate action!
•
Do not operate electric switches, light matches, use
your phone. Do not do anything that could ignite the
gas.
•
Get everyone out of the building, vehicle, trailer, or
area. Do that IMMEDIATELY.
•
Close all gas tank or cylinder supply valves.
•
LP–Gas is heavier than air and may settle in low
areas such as basements. When you have reason to
suspect a gas leak, keep out of basements and
other low areas. Stay out until firefighters declare
them to be safe.
•
Use your neighbor’s phone and call a trained LP–
Gas service person and the fire department. Even
though you may not continue to smell gas, do not
turn on the gas again. do not re–enter the building,
vehicle, trailer, or area.
•
Finally
, let the service man and firefighters check for
escaped gas. Have them air out the area before you
return. Properly trained LP–Gas service people
should repair the leak, then check and relight the
gas appliance for you.
NO ODOR DETECTED – ODOR FADE
Some people cannot smell well. Some people cannot
smell the odor of the chemical stench put into the
gas. You must find out if you can smell the odorant in
propane.
Smoking can decrease your ability to smell.
Being around an odor for a time can affect your sensitivity
or ability to detect that odor. Sometimes other odors in the
area mask the gas odor. People may not smell the gas
odor or their minds are on something else. Thinking about
smelling a gas odor can make it easier to smell.
The odorant in LP–Gas is colorless, and it can fade
under some circumstances.
For example, if there is an
underground leak, the movement of the gas through soil
can filter the odorant. Odorants in LP–Gas
also are subject to oxidation. This fading can occur if there
is rust inside the storage tank or in iron gas pipes.
The odorant in escaped gas can adsorb or absorb onto or
into walls, masonry and other materials and fabrics in a
room. That will take some of the odorant out of the gas,
reducing its odor intensity.
LP–Gas may stratify in a closed area, and the odor
intensity could vary at different levels. Since it is heavier
than air, there may be more odor at lower levels. Always
be sensitive to the slightest gas odor. If you detect any
odor, treat it as a serious leak. Immediately go into action
as instructed earlier.
SOME POINTS TO REMEMBER
•
Learn to recognize the odor of LP–gas.
Your local
LP–Gas Dealer can give you a ”Scratch and Sniff”
pamphlet. Use it to find out what the propane odor
smells like. If you suspect that your LP–Gas has a
weak or abnormal odor, call your LP–Gas Dealer.
•
If you are not qualified, do not light pilot lights,
perform service, or make adjustments to appliances
on the LP–Gas system. If you are qualified,
consciously think about the odor of LP–Gas prior to
and while lighting pilot lights or performing service or
making adjustments.
•
Sometimes a basement or a closed–up house has a
musty smell that can cover up the LP–Gas odor. Do
not try to light pilot lights, perform service, or make
adjustments in an area where the conditions are
such that you may not detect the odor if there has
been a leak of LP–Gas.
•
Odor fade, due to oxidation by rust or adsorption on
walls of new cylinders and tanks, is possible.
Therefore, people should be particularly alert and
careful when new tanks or cylinders are placed in
service. Odor fade can occur in new tanks or
reinstalled old tanks if they are filled and allowed to
set too long before refilling.
Cylinders and tanks which have been out of service
for a time may develop internal rust which will cause
odor fade. If such conditions are suspected to exist,
a periodic sniff test of the gas is advisable.
If you
have any question about the gas odor, call your
LP–Gas dealer. A periodic sniff test of the LP–
gas is a good safety measure under any
condition.
•
If, at any time, you do not smell the LP–Gas odorant
and you should, assume you have a leak. Than take
the same immediate action recommended above for
the occasion when you do detect the odorized LP–
Gas.
•
If you experience a complete ”gas out” (the
container is under no vapor pressure), turn the tank
valve off immediately. If the container valve is left
on, the container may draw in some air through
openings such as pilot light orifices. If this occurs,
some new internal rusting could occur. If the valve is
left open, then treat the container as a new tank.
Always be sure your container is under vapor
pressure by turning it off at the container before it
goes completely empty or having it refilled before it
is completely empty.
